Dating ideas in Orange County
Discover the best cafes, restaurants, parks, and other local hidden gems to take your date to in Orange County.
If With its warm weather, pristine beaches, decadent restaurants, and laid-back vibes, there are plenty of fun and romantic things for you and your date to do in Orange County. There are some hidden gems too!
Here are some of my favorites:
The Montage in Laguna Beach
The Montage is at the top of my list if you like the beach, beautiful sceneries, and classy atmosphere.
First of all, the Montage is a luxury beach resort. It has sweeping panoramic views of the Pacific, incredible amenities, beautifully maintained and manicured landscaping, and tall palm trees. Walking around the resort makes you feel like you’re in Hawaii or some tropical place.
The good news is that you don’t have to be a guest at the resort to enjoy the beach and amenities.
Just pay a few bucks for the parking and enjoy taking a stroll around the property or down to the beach, while admiring the gorgeous sceneries and sunset.
Click here to see the Yelp reviews.
Heisler park in Laguna Beach
Heisler park in Laguna Beach is another favorite place of mine to take a date to. It’s a beautiful park overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
With grassy areas to sit, it’s the perfect place to have a picnic and enjoy the view of the Pacific Ocean and the sunset.
The park has public restrooms, paved walkways, picnic tables, and stairs leading down to the beach. Another thing I like about this park is that it’s easy to find metered street parking.
If you get hungry and want to grab a bite, Zeytoon Cafe is a short walk away. This place serves fresh and excellent Mediterranean food. It has a very nice outdoor seating area and the staff here is friendly.
Another hidden gem nearby that is a favorite of mine is Number Three restaurant. You get great food at an incredibly low price. My favorites are the avocado burger, the Seafood Boiled, and the Salmon Frenzy. It has a lovely outdoor patio area too!
Click here to see the Yelp reviews of Heisler Park.
Crystal Cove State Park
Crystal Cove State Park has three miles of beautiful beach plus over 2000 acres of park. There are lots of fun activities to do here.
You can walk for miles along the beach, explore tide pools, or just lay on the sand and watch the waves. There are also walking trails around the park.
If you get hungry, there’s a casual Shake Shack restaurant overlooking the ocean.
There are also a few good cafes and restaurants in the Crystal Cove Shopping Center.
It is located off Pacific Coast Highway between Corona Del Mar and Laguna Beach.
A good entrance point is around the Reef Point Drive / PCH area.
Click here to see the Yelp reviews.
Sherman Gardens Corona Del Mar
I recently stumbled on this hidden gem as I was exploring Corona Del Mar by foot.
This cute hidden gem has a botanical garden with a great number of plant species, foliage, shrubs, flowers, cactus, herbs, and succulents.
You and your date can stroll around the garden on the brick walkways. It is kind of small though.
There’s also a restaurant in the center of the garden. It serves handmade crepes, pastries, soups, salads, wines, coffee, and and other goodies.
Click here to see the Yelp reviews.
Downtown Disney
If you or your date is a Disney fan, you will love hanging out at Downtown Disney in Anaheim.
Downtown Disney is a great spot to experience the magic of Disney without without having to fork over $200 dollars to do Disneyland for two.
There are plenty of live entertainment, food and drinks, activities, and shopping to keep you entertained. There’s also street musicians, open-air cafes, and other Disney themed thing.
Here are a few of my favorite things to do here:
- Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria – This place makes legit authentic Italian pizzas. They use fresh and high-quality ingredients. The pasta and ravioli here are pretty good too.
- Tortilla Jo’s – If you like tequila, this vibrant Mexican cantina has a large selection of tequilas.
- Ralph Brennan’s Flambeaux Jazz Club – This restaurant and bar create a fun Bourbon-street style vibe. It serves New Orleans style food and live jazz music. They have tables outside on the patio, on the second-floor balcony, and in the open-air courtyard. The pasta jambalaya and the shrimp and grit dishes are mouthwateringly delicious!
Orange Hill Restaurant
If you want to impress your date with the most romantic restaurant in Orange County, take her to Orange Hill for brunch, lunch, dinner, or drinks.
Enjoy the classy ambiance and the spectacular views of Orange County, Downtown LA, Disney’s fireworks, and the Pacific Ocean while sitting next to a beautiful fireplace.
Click here to see the Yelp reviews.
The Fifth Rooftop Restaurant & Bar
The Fifth Rooftop Bar & Restaurant is one of the few rooftop bars in Orange County.
You can find this classy place across the street from Disneyland at the top of the Grand Legacy at the Park hotel.
The ambiance here is classy and relaxing. You can come here for brunch, dinner, or to enjoy some drinks. You get a spectacular view here. If you’re here at the right time, you may be able to enjoy a firework show from Disneyland.
The ambiance, food, drinks, service, and beautiful views here make this a fantastic dating spot.
Click here to see the Yelp reviews.
The Camp
The Camp in Costa Mesa is unique, eco-friendly, beautifully designed, and hipsterish retail campus. It has a chill, new-age vibe to it.
It’s a great place to walk around and explore eateries and cute shops. You can come here for brunch, dinner, drinks, or just to chill.
Some of my favorite places here: Old Vine cafe, Taco Asylum, Wine Lab, Native Food (vegan food), Vitaly (gelato ice cream) and Milk & Honey.
The only thing I don’t like is the parking situation. So it’s best to come during non-busy times or use the valet parking service.
Click here to see the Yelp reviews.
Kayaking or SU Paddle Boarding in Sunset Beach
If you feel like doing a water activity without breaking a sweat, try kayaking or stand up paddleboarding in Sunset Beach.
You can rent your kayak or board at OEX Sunset Beach, which is located off the PCH highway and just a block away from the beach.
The water here is usually calm most of the time. You’ll be kayaking around the Huntington Harbor, and surrounded by million-dollar homes and yachts.
Click here to see the Yelp reviews.
Huntington Beach Central Park
Huntington Beach Central Park is one of the most spacious and beautiful parks in Orange County.
It’s a great place to go for a walk with your date or have a picnic on the grass. There are open grass fields, lots of trees and shades, flowers, plants, a quaint lake, and a small botanical garden.
The park is very well maintained throughout and has a walking trail that loops around the park.
If you want to grab a bite or coffee, there’s a cafe in the park. You can get breakfast or lunch at the Park Bench Cafe, which opens from Wednesday through Sunday. They have many outdoor tables available for dining.
You can usually find a parking spot at the parking lot on the Gothard Street side (by Belva Drive).
Click here to see the Yelp reviews.
Honorable mentions
As you can see, there is plenty of fun and romantic places to take your date to in OC. Here are some more awesome places that will delight you and your date:
- Huntington Beach Pier and downtown Huntington Beach – The HB pier is one of my favorites. It’s great for walking, watching surfers, or people watching.
- Victoria Park in Laguna Beach – This is one of the most secluded and pristine beaches in Orange County.
- The Deck in Laguna Beach – This oceanfront restaurant offers fresh seafood, delicious drinks, and amazing views. If you want to impress your date with delicious food and romantic ambiance, this place is a must visit.
- Carbon Canyon Regional Park in Brea – This is the only park that has Redwood trees in SoCal.
- The Blind Rabbit speakeasy bar in Anaheim – There are only a few speakeasy bars in Orange County. The Blind Rabbit is a must visit if you like the speakeasy bar ambiance.
- Juliette Kitchen and Bar in Costa Mesa – This place is a local hidden gem. The food, wine, and service here are amazing.
- The Fullerton Arboretum – This arboretum has waterfalls, a lake, flowers, a cactus desert, a large collection of plants from different corners of the world, and so much more.
- Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel – This spacious hidden gem has rose gardens, succulents, and lots of different types of plants and trees.
- McFadden Public Market – If playing arcade games is your thing, you should check out McFadden Public Market. It has a small food court at the bottom level. You can find the arcades and a bar upstairs. The bar serves quite a large selection of liquors, beers, and cocktails. If you and your date are in the mood for dancing, the DJ shows up at night and will play some fun dance music.
- The Triangle in Costa Mesa – This small place parks lots of entertainment and food/drink options in a small area. It has a movie theater, a bowling alley, a nightclub, and lots of good restaurants and bars. A few of my favorites are Yard House, La Vida Cantina, and Cafe Sevilla.
- Woodbridge South Lake in Irvine – This man-made made lake offers serene and picturesque scenes. It’s a great place to go for a romantic walk.
- The OC Mix in Costa Mesa – This is a hipsterish and casual plaza to chill and enjoy some food, drinks, coffee, smoothie, pastries, and more. There are ample seatings indoor and outdoor. Some of my favorites here are Portola Coffee, Pueblo tapa restaurant, Shuck Oyster Bar, Taco Maria, Arc restaurant, and Susie Cakes.
- Segerstrom Center for the Arts – If you enjoy musicals, ballets, theatre performances, art, and culture, then the Segerstrom Center of the Arts is a fantastic place to check out. It’s a world class venue that does a great job of bringing world class performances to OC.
- Downtown Seal Beach – Downtown Seal Beach is a cute and quaint downtown. It’s a more laid-back and serene downtown in the OC areas. It has a pier, ice cream places, a few cafes, boutique shops, a bakery, and some good bars and restaurants. Some of my favorites are Crema Cafe, Humblemaker Coffee, The Hangout Restaurant & Bar, and Boggart’s Coffee House.
- Oldtown Tustin – Old Town Tustin is a cute, quiet, and quaint place to walk around and experience that oldtown feel. Here, you can find shops, cute tea and coffee shops, modern clothing boutiques, and some good eateries. Places worth checking out are Cream Pan bakery and Honda-Ya Japanese restaurant.
- Bella Terra Huntington Beach – This clean and beautiful outdoor mall area has a water fountain, a courtyard area, a movie theatre, and lots of shops, restaurants, and cafes. Some of my favorites are Solita Tacos & Margaritas, Laguna Beach Beer Company, Eurro Caffe, and Eureka.
- Wine Tasting – For wine lovers, you don’t have to go far to experience wine tasting. There are a good wine tasting places right here in the OC. Check them out:
- Orange Coast Winery in Costa Mesa
- Newport Beach Winery
- Laguna Canyon Winery in Laguna Beach